The Aaron Rodgers free agent saga has continued since the New York Jets announced his release earlier this offseason. The 20-year NFL veteran remains on the market with the Pittsburgh Steelers as the only legitimate option.
However, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell recently confirmed that Rodgers “reached out” to the team to discuss his future.
Kevin O’Connell Confirms QB Aaron Rodgers Spoke With the Minnesota Vikings
The Jets released the four-time MVP after signing him to a three-year, $112.5 million contract in 2023. However, Rodgers’s time in New York was a disaster — he suffered a complete Achilles tear just four plays into the 2023 season opener, and the Jets finished 5-12 in 2024.
He threw for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions — making 2024 one of the worst statistical seasons in the ten-time Pro Bowler’s career.
The free-agent quarterback market hasn’t been strong this offseason, and according to O’Connell’s statement, Rodgers nearly completed Brett Favre’s career arc.
Kevin O'Connell today in West Palm on J.J. McCarthy and some of the QB conversation: pic.twitter.com/tGyWI74U46
— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) March 31, 2025
The Athletic’s Vikings beat reporter, Alec Lewis, tweeted O’Connell’s lengthy remarks, “Two things can be true at the same time. We took (J.J.) 10th in the draft last year after a very extensive evaluation process. A lot of things we hoped to see from him we saw in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, he got injured.
“We tried to maximize as much as we could his ‘redhirt’ year while still making sure we were getting Sam Darnold and our other quarterbacks ready to play. I think J.J. was able to take some things out of that and be ready to go for the spring.”
Darnold signed a one-year contract with Minnesota before the 2024 NFL Draft and was expected to compete with McCarthy for the starting spot. The rookie looked good in training camp but tore his meniscus in the team’s preseason opener. Darnold was thrust into the starting role and had the best season of his career, helping lead the Vikings to 14-3 while throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns.
O’Connell continued, “The second part that can be true is Aaron Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP and somebody who we’ve all had so much respect for competing against him. And he happened to be at a point in time in his career, where he was free to have some real dialogue about what his future may look like. And we happened to be one of those teams he reached out to.”
It seems to be a matter of “when,” not “if,” Rodgers signs with the Steelers after he recently held a private workout with DK Metcalf. However, it seems the four-time MVP gave Minnesota serious consideration.
“I have had a personal relationship with him going back to my playing days. But yeah, two things can be true.” O’Connell continued, “Look, you guys know near and dear to my heart is the quarterback development process. I’m going to take a very, very personal role with J.J. amongst Josh and Wes and Jordan and all the guys we’re going to have working with him.”
“But I do feel very strongly about where he’s at right now based upon the information we have, the evaluation process, the time we’ve had with him. I feel very good about projecting a really positive year for J.J., and now we’ve got to go to work and do it. Talking about it in March and April doesn’t do a whole lot.”
The Vikings seem to be all in on McCarthy for 2025, as he and Brett Rypien are the only two quarterbacks under contract. Minnesota holds the No. 24 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and is unlikely to invest in another rookie QB after taking McCarthy high last year. They’ll have to add at least one more arm, but it appears the Rodgers’ ship has sailed.